Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid offers distilled Summer Break happiness in video game form, with its vast open world, boundless activities, and magnetic rural charm. I’ve played a lot of video games in my life, but I don’t know that I’ve ever quite played one like this. I can say one thing for sure, though—I’m already looking forward to my next summer adventure.
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid
Toybox Inc. · Jun 26, 2024
About
A circus troupe comes to Yomogi Town, a rural town in Japan situated between mountains and the ocean. As the son of the circus ringmaster, enjoy a special summer filled with adventures! All of Yomogi Town and the nature surrounding it are an open world where you can enjoy summer to its fullest.
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Scores by platform
Critic reviews
- 7.5If you can look past the technical and visual shortcomings, though, you're in for a treat. Natsu-Mon might not be the best game of the year, but it's destined to be one of the most memorable and affecting. Its emergent storytelling helps you feel like the author of your own adventure. Its seamless open world provides an exciting sense of discovery. And its many quests and quest-givers will keep you engaged for over two dozen hours. Best of all, its celebration of the innocence and potential of youth will make you feel like a kid again.
- Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid provides a gaming adventure as cozy as its name. Its stakes may be low, but it packs in plenty to accomplish and will have players feeling nostalgic for a time they may have never even experienced.
- 7.7While light on visuals and variety, Natsu-Mon's comforting world makes it a delightful summer escape.
- Even though I haven't experienced all that Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid has to offer, I've seen enough to know that it should well serve a niche looking for a laid-back, Animal Crossing-like experience. The game follows a one-month summer countdown, so it's unlikely that you'll see everything on offer during a single playthrough. Almost every single in-game day brings something new, though, and if you have patience enough to buy into the premise, you'll be rewarded with your own chill summer break. It has some rough edges, but it's hard not to jive with the small town vibes of Satoru’s summer home.
- 7.0We’re delighted that this game has made it to the West. And although performance and graphics aren't up to scratch, and the translation is a bit wonky in places, Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid still is very much a playable and enjoyable experience. The game teaches some genuinely valuable lessons and makes you think about life and how we must live it to its fullest. It’s a game that shouldn’t be rushed through, and the 25-45 minutes it takes to get through each day lends itself perfectly to the Switch. This game isn’t for everyone — it's slow in many places and may test your patience — but if what you’re looking for is a relaxing experience with lots of freedom and activities at your disposal, then we’re sure you’ll have a great summer with this one.
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